Sam Cummings Selected as Blugold Football's Defensive Coordinator

Sam Cummings Selected as Blugold Football's Defensive Coordinator

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Sam Cummings has been named the UW-Eau Claire football team's defensive coordinator, head coach Todd Glaser has announced.

Cummings comes to UW-Eau Claire from Concordia University-St. Paul (Minn.), where he had been the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach since 2011. He replaces Mark Sipple, who had been the Blugolds' defensive coordinator since 2003 and recently left to be the defensive coordinator at St. Cloud State University (Minn.).

Cummings played linebacker for the Blugolds between 2003 and 2007, earning four letters and being selected to the All-WIAC team three times (2005 – 2nd team; 2006 – honorable mention; 2007 – 1st team). He was a team captain his senior season, a year the Blugolds advanced to the NCAA playoffs for just the second time in school history, and earned team defensive MVP honors in both 2006 and 2007. He finished his career with 246 tackles (113 solos, 133 assists), playing in 41 games, while blocking four kicks, recovering three fumbles and forcing two fumbles.

During the spring of 2008, Cummings was a student assistant for the Blugolds before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in May 2008. He then served as a graduate assistant at Minnesota State University-Mankato for three years, earning a Master's degree in sports management in December 2010. He then became an assistant coach at Concordia-St. Paul.

Cummings will also serve as the McPhee Strength and Performance Center coordinator.

-KM-